The Commodore
by Hundius
Summary: A Commodore has to appoint a flotilla commander but is a bit upset about it, because that man is known to this Commodore. Acknowledgement : Thanks to Sealover for spell checking and to Alimoo to give several good ideas to create the second part of the story.
1. Ch 1 : The Commodore

**The Commodore**

**Chapter 1 : The Commodore**

Sydney, March 2026

**Thursday**

**The naval base HMAS Kuttabul in Sydney**

Petty Officer Mark Longhurst came back from the office of the CO, sat down and let out a deep sigh.

"Mark, how was the mood?", Linda asked, a colleague of the administrative staff of the Commodore.

"I survived. I handed over the file and I left. The next one is for you again", he answered.

"Awful, isn't it, that icy look. I've got every time the impression that I've done something wrong."

Mark nodded and both looked suspicious at the brown door of the Commodore.

The Commodore stood at the window with the hands on the back, looking over the bay. The sun stood low because the day was almost at its end. A few helicopter frigates were anchored and another frigate was entering the base.

The Commodore looked at the latter.

_There it was, the Ballarat, on return from its test voyage. Big maintenance done. Electronic equipment renewed. Upgrade of the radar and armament software. All done, tested and fine. I've seen the report today. Good! And a good ship needs a good captain too. And he's good, but…_

This frigate was up to lead a flotilla, commanded by a man who's file was on her desk.

She looked quickly over her shoulder to the file and looked then again to the ship.

She had appointed so many officers and placed on ships, but this one had made her a bit upset. She frowned irritated. This could not, but it happened.

It was not that he was not capable. On the contrary he had a wonderful service record and he had commanded a base for years.

She turned and opened the file she had received that morning and looked at the photo. After a few seconds she closed the file and looked again to the frigate that was preparing the mooring manoeuvre and her thoughts were strayed.

Everyone watched out for her. Not that she was a hard task master, but nobody could approach her. She was a private woman. Nobody risked to say something to her that was not business related and nobody had ever seen her laughing. Moreover nobody could betray her on a mistake. That's why she had the nick name of Ice Queen. She knew it but she didn't care a damn about it.

Only two persons had access to her. If you saw her in the mess or in the break room, there was at least one of them with her. These were her adjutant, a Lieutenant-Commander and the officer of the cartographic department, a Commander. They arrived together with her at the base three years ago. Rumours went around that the Commodore knew the officers from the past. Her adjutant had been with her for a much longer time. He was also the most decorated of the whole base with the Distinguished Service Cross and the Medal of Gallantry. Moreover the Commodore and her adjutant were always together. But nobody got something out of these two officers about her**.**

At the desk outside the office Leading Seaman Linda looked at her colleague. "Mark, do you perhaps know why she's called the Ice Queen?"

He looked at her. "Pfft, by her icy look? Don't know. Wait, let's ask Christopher."

An older Chief Petty Officer passed at that moment.

"Uh, Christopher, you're already quite some time with this staff, do you know how the Commodore got her nickname of Ice Queen?"

"Ah! Quite easy. First what she does is good, almost without emotions, ice cold in fact. And the Queen thing, well, I've a mate in Cairns, Robert Dixon who knew her from the past. He served under her and he told me that her nickname in a previous life was Princess Perfect because everything what she did was perfect, however. And when a princess takes the lead, she becomes a queen, not?"

Linda was all of a sudden intrigued. "Wait a sec, just a minute ago you said 'perfect however', why 'however'?"

Christopher lowered his voice. "What she does is simply good, except for one thing. The rumours go round that she has made a mess of her love life."

"Hey, don't you have anything better to do?", a big blond Lieutenant-Commander with a impressive ribbon bar asked.

"Uh, yes of course. I'm sorry sir!", they hurried to say.

"Hmm", he grumbled and continued his way to the door of the commodore's office.

"Her body guard", Mark whispered to Linda.

He knocked the door and waited.

"Yes, come in" she said icily .

Her adjutant entered.

"The day is over. When you are ready to leave?", he asked her walking through her office to her desk.

Her voice got softer as she relaxed a little. "Yeah, I'll get my stuff."

She looked at the frigate again and noticed a bit surprised that it slightly became dusk. She must have stood there much longer than she thought.

She laid a few files in the drawer of her desk and wanted to put the famous file in her brief-case, but she hesitated. She sighed and laid it also in the drawer because she knew it by heart.

It was the file of Captain Mike Flynn.

She put her hat on and limped to the door making a face caused by the pain of her knee.

"Rain is coming", she said, "that stupid leg strikes up again."

"That's right, the barometer is falling. You're sure you don't need your cane?", the Lieutenant-Commander asked tenderly when he kept the door open for her.

She glared at him and hissed between her teeth. "Don't you dare!"

He shook slowly his head when he closed the door behind her.

_She's still so stubborn that she prefers to contort with pain instead of using her cane to have a bit of comfort. She'll never change._

"Did you forget how much efforts I had to do to keep employed? They wanted to discharge me for medical reasons! Look, I can still execute my function perfectly and I don't want to give some people ammunition to say that I'm not suitable for duty anymore!", she said irritated over her shoulder to him.

"Calm down! Within a sec you're sticking to the ceiling. It's not worth it", he said softly to comfort her.

"But, what's going on? You became so quickly irritated this afternoon?", he continued on a different tone.

She grumbled something as an answer and he shrugged.

She stepped in the car at the back seat to leave the base, but they stopped at the cartographic service to pick up the Commander who took a seat next to the adjutant.

"Dylan" she asked from the back seat, "Why am I still upset after 15 years when I'm holding that file? It should be the past. I have already passed so many files of officers through my hands, but this one does something to me."

"Kate, the pin has been pulled out very bizarrely 15 years ago, isn't it? You must admit that", Dylan replied.

"Did you see him already?", Nikki asked .

"No tomorrow morning. I don't know what I have to think of it. It's bizarre", Kate answered.

"That's not difficult huh", Nikki said. "You broke of the relation and you've sent him with a lump in the reeds. Then you started a relation with Jim Roth under his nose and finally you disappeared."

"Yeah, go on! Twist the knife once more!", Kate said with a raw voice so Dylan and Nikki looked over their shoulder at her. Tears were running down her cheeks.

"Well, the base should need to know this", Dylan said. "The Ice Queen can cry."

"Yeah, pearls of ice instead of tears", Nikki added with a smile.

"Go to the hell you two!", Kate answered softly while she was looking through the window and sweeping the tears .

Dylan stopped at Nikki's house after ten minutes.

"Till tomorrow. Same time?"

"Yep, as usual. And Kate, relax this evening, go and soak in your new Spa Bath. The past has been. Don't make it too difficult for you", she said while she was getting out.

"Yeah, I'll work on it and till tomorrow", Kate answered with a smile.

While they continued Dylan asked, "To my place or yours?"

"Darling, I want to be alone this evening. I want to have a quiet think about everything."

He stopped at her house.

"Till tomorrow, same time huh", she said.

"Yep, and do what Nikki said", Dylan answered.

"Yes, boss", Kate answered and they gave each other a kiss. She got out and went to the front door while he drove to his apartment.

To be continued

4


	2. Ch 2 : Mike

**Chapter 2: Mike**

Mike stood on the terrace of his apartment and was looking with his binoculars to the frigate that entered the harbour.

_The HMAS Ballarat. So, that's it. Nice ship. Will be a completely different approach then a patrol boat._

He put the binoculars on a table and entered inside to get himself a glass of Whisky. Still with the glass in his hand he got out again and sat down in a chair on his terrace. While he was nipping of the amber liquid, he looked over the bay.

He moved from Cairns to Sydney one week ago and found an apartment with a view at the harbour and the sea. That was one of the most important criteria he had in his search for a suitable apartment.

The period on the patrol boats had been good with positive and negative moments and now he was going to command a flotilla including two frigates with guided missiles.

_Back at sea. Finally!_

Tomorrow he will get his command over the flotilla. He was going to be appointed by Commodore McGregor.

_Commodore McGregor_. He thought about the title and the name and a sad smile appeared on his lips.

_Kate._

_She made it after all. Even faster than I. Although I may not complain. Getting the command over a flotilla is only for the happy few._

He was smiling somewhat happier now.

_She said once that she was going to be Chief of the Navy. Well, she's well on her way._

_And yet! _

_Good for her. We both took decisions and the result turned out to be completely different. It's weird._

He frowned .

_Bizarre. Tomorrow I'll be opposite of my commanding officer who was ever my student and my subordinate. Saying 'Ma'am' while she was once my girl friend. How will that feel? _

_How will she be towards me? Businesslike? Happy? Cool?_

_How will she be looking like now? Still long gold blond hear? The same line?_ He started smiling again.

Mike entered and walked to the bookshelf to take the photo album of the Hammersley and went back to the terrace again. He turned over the leaves and saw photo's of Pete, Spider, Nikki, ET, 2Dads and stopped at some pictures of him and Kate and also Kate alone.

_Our first date!_

On the picture they stand next to each other in the sunset, leaning against a balustrade with the bay at the back, each with an arm around each others waist. She wearing a strapless sundress and himself wearing a shirt with short sleeves.

_His mind wandered back in time...… Saturday afternoon. A splendid sunny day. I took the advantage to jog along the esplanade of the bay and I noticed a pretty little blond who's reading on a bench. Nice gold blond hair, smart dress, naked feet._

_I recognise her, that's the attractive girl at the course. McGregor, yeah, that's her. A clever person, but closed. Hmm, let's have a chat._

"_Hi, is the course ok?"_

"_Yeah, sure."_

_Yes, she recognises me._

"_If you have questions about something, you may always ask." _

"_Thank you, that's very kind, but I'll manage."_

_She keeps distance, logic._

"_May I sit down, I don't disturb you?"_

"_Yeah, of course."_

_I have a chance._

"_Midshipman Kate McGregor, isn't it? You're the best I ever had in the training. Congratulations!"_

"_Thank you."_

_She's clearly charmed. I'm getting a smile._

"_You know, you look wonderful. In your uniform you are already handsome, but like this you are adorable!"_

"_Thank you!"_

_She gets a colour. Wow, she's even more prettier from nearby!_

_We talk further. I'm really attracted to her. She has something. I'll ask her!_

"_Do you want to have dinner together this evening?"_

_Hopefully she says yes and she doesn't hide her behind these stupid fraternisation rules._

"_Uh, yeah, YEAH!"_

_Yes! She's clearly enthusiastic. The luck is on my side._

_A couple of hours later I'm picking her up at the same spot and we drive to a quiet restaurant at the bay on the other side of the city. I can't afford that someone would see me, a lecturer with one of his students._

_She's stunning. Another smart dress and sandals on high heels and she has her hair up. I can't keep my eyes of her._

_We have talked during the whole dinner and afterwards at the sunset she wanted to take a picture at the sunset. We asked a passer-by to take that picture…_

_And this one then, the first picture of her on the Hammersley. What does she have a sour face._

Kate stands next to Mike and Nikki stands on the other side. All three in the white uniform on the foredeck.

_Swain is making hand gestures with his camera. "Sir, X, Nav, can you stand here for a second? I want to hang up a a photo of the officers in the mess ."_

"_Swain, is that really necessary?", Kate snaps to him._

"_X, it's not that bad. One photo. It's already over and done."_

_I'm looking at Kate, how can she be such a bitch? That's not the girl I met at ADFA. Since she came onboard she has a long face and she let me often know that she could make more career on frigates. That's also the reason why I broke up our relation. Career is all what counts, over and over again. She saw herself as captain of a frigate before she got 30. We have both a career in mind, but the way she sees it, a relation will fail definitely. And now we are together again on the same patrol boat. Ok, I had to talk it out, but I've chosen for the easiest solution but not the fairest one. I'm feeling she is still having a grudge…_

Mike turned the leaves and had to laugh at the next photo.

It was taken on the quarter-deck by Bomber during a barbecue. He has a chicken leg in his hand and is telling something. Kate is looking at him while listening.

… _I'm glad that I could leave the hospital after that explosion on that island. Kate didn't leave from my side, just like a bee to a flowerr._

_Something has changed in Kate. She reminds me now of the time at ADFA._

_I see Kate coming to me at the bridge with a big smile._

"_Sir, I've organised a barbecue for lunch on the quarter deck to celebrate your return."_

_I don't have any objections at all for such events. Why not? It's always fun._

_The atmosphere is great. Bomber walks around with her camera to take pictures of all the crew._

_I take a chicken leg and go leaning against the handrail because my leg still strikes up. Kate takes one too and follows me. I start to tell how I've cut Spider out of the chain of grenades, while Buffer and ET were looking at me and I notice she's looking at me without hearing what I say. I want to say I love her, but that's not possible here …_

He looked at the next page.

_And this one at the party of the American ambassador. That was out of range._

Mike and Kate stand on the terrace in their white uniform jackets with a glass chatting with each other. The photo is taken with a flash light and the background is black.

… _The Americans know to organise parties. I've just shaken off the ambassador and I have some breathing space now. I see Kate between the guests and I smile relaxed. She sees me and makes a small gesture to get out. A few moments later we find each other at the terrace._

"_Nice party, isn't it?"_

"_Yeah, these Americans are extreme jovial."_

_A flash light. The American PR-man has just taken a picture of us. I gesture to move a bit to the dark site. Here we are alone and we can look at the water with a reflecting moon. She leans backwards to my chest and she turns her head backwards up to me. Her lips ask for a kiss. I bend my head and give her a kiss. From the moment we are on shore, we'll develop this further …_

_This one was at the moment of my promotion to Commander_

The photo was taken at her house. They hold each other around their waists. Mike wears a shirt with short sleeves and Kate a blouse and a skirt. Both are looking at the camera, smiling.

… _I was promoted to Commander and a few days ago we had a fight because I had to investigate something against my former crew of the Hammersley, but we reconciled in a beautiful way._

_The day is over and I'm my way to Kate. At the driveway I encounter Nikki._

"_Hello boss, still at the Hammersley?"_

"_Hi Nikki, just say Mike. No, I'm the assistant of Commander White and I'm Commander now."_

"_Promoted? Great. Congratulations."_

"_I have shore leave and wanted to meet Kate."_

"_Me too", I chuckled._

_I ring the bell._

_Kate opens the door and is pleased to see both of us._

"_Hey, that's a surprise, come in."_

"_Hi Kate, for me even more. I have shore leave and wanted to see you and I came Mike across at your door. I didn't know of his promotion. And you both?", Nikki asks curiously._

"_Hey Katie." I bend and give her a kiss and get one back. I follow them to the living room._

"_Tell me, you don't want to say that…?" Nikki asks with twinkling eyes._

"_Yes!" We say in unison while I take her around her waist and she does the same to me._

"_Well I had already that feeling, but I couldn't confirm it. Female intuition, you know. But, you both have played a good theatre", Nikki jokes._

"_Yeah, finally we can give our relation a start." I give her a kiss in the neck and she giggles._

"_Wait, I need this to put on photo. " she says while grabbing quickly for her camera in her handbag … _

Mike turned a leaf.

_This is the last photo after she broke up. Yes, I remember it like it was yesterday. Everything was against._

Bird has taken the next picture. It shows the outside of the bridge. Mike and Kate stand at the handrail. She looks at the activity below and he looks at her. The exuberance is hard to find on their faces. It looks like she can burst out in tears every moment and he looks desperate at her.

… _I've been arguing with the Brass to let her promote. I threatened to resign and then all of a sudden she breaks up the relation. She cancelled our holiday to Tahiti. I don't understand. I don't get any reason either. Suddenly Jim turned up back. However she says that Jim has nothing to do with it. To make it worse, all of a sudden I get the affirmation that Ryan is my son. That must be a shock for her as it was for me too. Why did you have had that weak moment to dive in bed with Maxine? Stupid Idiot that I am. She could just read it from my face. I feel her slipping through my fingers and there's not a thing t I can do to stop it ! …_

He thought of the few times they were really together and cherished these moments.

_Mike, man, you've missed something then. You had to be more creative. You just had to admit that you didn't have considered things outside the lines. Then there was the case of Ryan. And the cherry on the cake was that one night stand with Maxine. She has never digested that._

_But, it was she who broke up for a reason, not me. Dutchy told me that she did it because I should prefer my career above her. But she has never told me that._

_Anyhow, it's my own fault._

_Pity, really pity._

Meanwhile it had become dark. He closed the book, drank the rest of his glass in one gulp and went inside again, curious for the next day.

_To be continued_

5


	3. Ch 3 : Kate

**Chapter 3 : Kate**

Kate closed the front door behind her, untied her hair and changed the white uniform for a dress. She went to the kitchen and prepared a small meal with fried tuna. She started years ago with cooking as a pass time and with success. Dylan just loved her meals and Nikki and her family did not hesitate either if they could stay for dinner. After she finished her dinner and the dishwashing, she poured herself another glass of white wine, put it on the coffee table and walked to the bedroom. Kate opened a cupboard and took a box which she took with her to the living room. She took a sip of her wine glass and opened the box. The first thing Kate took out of the box was a frame with a photo of her and Mike, both in civvies. Bomber had taken that one on an occasion. She laid it next to her to take the album which was also in the box. She started to turn over the leaves in the book with the photo's of the crew of Hammersley until she found pictures of herself and Mike.

_Should he still have these too? We've got the same set of photo's._

The first was from the time she met Mike at the navigation training, about 28 years ago.

On the picture they stand next to each other in the sunset, leaning against a balustrade with the bay at the back, each with an arm around each others waist. She wore a strapless summer dress and Mike a shirt with short sleeves.

_Kate, girl, where's the time?_

_Her mind wandered back in time ...… Saturday afternoon. A splendid day, sun, pleasantly warm. Really not the weather to study in your room. Why not to take the course books and notes to the bay and sit on a bench over there? Delightful. Loose hair, a thin dress, the sun playing on your shoulders, no trousers, no socks, bare feet in sandals with heels, what do you need more? Slipping out of the sandals is even better. The course is easy and there are not too much people on the promenade. Uh, what does that man ask? If the course is ok? "Yeah, sure." The one who that asks is the most handsome of all the teachers, Lieutenant Flynn, he was jogging here._

"_If you have questions about something, you may always ask." _

"_Thank you, that's very kind, but I'll manage."_

"_May I sit down, I don't disturb you?"_

"_Yeah, of course."_

_I have a chance._

"_Midshipman Kate McGregor, isn't it? You're the best I ever had in the training. Congratulations!"_

"_Thank you."_

_Wow, I'm getting compliments that I'm the best of the class. That's also my intention. I want to get away from the past._

"_You know, you look wonderful. In your uniform you are already handsome, but like this you are adorable!"_

"_Thank you!"_

_I feel warm inside!_

_We talk further for some time until he asks me this :"Do you want to have dinner together this evening?"_

_I'm completely surprised! This handsome lecturer asks ME out for dinner._

"_Uh, yeah, YEAH!" A smile which you can't resist appears on his face._

_A couple of hours later we met together at the same spot and we drive to a quit restaurant at the bay on the other side of the city. Logic, a lecturer can't be seen with one of his students._

_I had put on my best dress and my sandals with the highest heels and I had my hair up. It works, he can't keep his eyes of me._

_We talked during the whole dinner and afterwards at the sunset I asked a passer-by to take that picture in the sunset._

_I'm floating. For the first time in my life, I'm really happy …_

_And this one then. A wry smile appeared on her face._

_I was just appointed on the Hammersley and I was pissed off at him._

Kate stands next to Mike and Nikki stands on the other side. All three in the white uniform on the foredeck.

… _Swain wanted absolutely to take that picture before we went on shore after a successful patrol and I didn't feel like it at all. I was a month on board and my face said everything._

_We had a fine time at the ADFA. We met each other in that restaurant at the bay and discussed our carriers and had exciting weekends and nights, but one day he didn't turn up again. Later on I heard he was transferred to another base. Why didn't he told me that? What had I done wrong? I felt wretched. I still can't count the nights I cried myself asleep. Then I was appointed to navigator on a frigate. After one year I was transferred to give a navigation training. Shortly after that I was transferred again to a patrol boat as XO. What did I have to do there? My future was on frigates. Moreover I was shocked to see Mike again and now as my CO._

_I felt again that special feeling but on the other hand I hated him. Why did he left me without saying anything? He talks about our relation as 'the other thing'. Was I just a one night stand? I want to return to the frigates. The crew doesn't like me and laughs at me. Mike reprimands me often while Caetano, who was one of my students, can do everything apparently. And what does have Ursula more than I can offer? _

_Crap …_

Kate turned the page and took a sip from her wine.

_Here at the new Hammersley, I was in love again, but didn't dare to tell._

It was taken on the quarter-deck by Bomber during a barbecue. He has a chicken leg in his hand and is telling something. Kate is looking at him while listening.

… _I had organised the barbecue to celebrate his return from the hospital. The whole crew is joyous, especially me. Meanwhile I loved the job and this kind of ships and I was accepted entirely by the crew. I'm young and a woman and wanted something more than chasing fishing vessels. I could not detect from Mike he felt something for me, thus I looked further and met Jim. A nice man who expressed his feelings openly for me. Until that moment that they brought Mike back on board , barely alive with a life threatening leg wound. I was completely upset. Was I going to loose him after all? I loved him so much more then I could have realized ._

_Now we are at the quarterdeck with a snack, chatting. I can't keep my eyes from him. I want to embrace and kiss him, but I dare not and it's not allowed either, thanks to those arrogant fraternisation rules. I have the feeling that he knows and that he feels the same as I do. …_

She looked at the next photo.

_And this one at the party of the American ambassador. That was special._

Mike and Kate stand on the terrace in their white uniform jackets with a glass chatting with each other. The photo is taken with a flash light and the background is black.

…_A crowd, typical for Americans? I just got some glasses for Bomber, Bird and me and we were chatting._

_I see Mike a couple meters further between the guests and our eyes meet each other. He smiles and I point heedless with my glass in the hand outward._

_He sees my intention and goes to the terrace and I follow him._

_Once outside we are together._

"_Nice party, isn't it?"_

"_Yeah, these Americans are extreme jovial."_

_At that moment the photographer takes that picture. We both laugh and move a bit out of the light. We stand at the balustrade and I lean backwards to his chest. I turn my head backwards up to him and open my lips a bit. He senses the intention and bends his head and give me a kiss. It's the first time we do that in uniform! It felt like heaven! …_

She turned more leaves, stopped and suddenly smiled.

The photo was taken at her house. They hold each other around their waists. Mike wears a shirt with short sleeves and Kate a blouse and a skirt. Both are looking at the camera, smiling.

… _Mike was promoted to commander and a few days ago we had a fight due to a misunderstanding, but we reconciled it on a passionate way._

_Today I'm home already and expect Mike. The door bell rings._

_I drop the vegetables, clean my hands and run to the door like a little girl with my thoughts to a wonderful evening with both of us._

_When I open the door I see Mike and Nikki._

"_Hey, that's a surprise, come in."_

"_Hi Kate, for me even more. I have shore leave and wanted to see you and I came Mike across at your door. I didn't know of his promotion. And you both? "Nikki asks curious._

"_Hey Katie." I'm getting a kiss and I give one back. We walk to the living room._

"_Tell me, you don't want to say that …?" Nikki asks with twinkling eyes._

"_Yes!" We say in unison while I take him around his waist and he me._

"_Well I had already that feeling. Female intuition, you know. But, you both have played good theatre." Nikki jokes._

"_Yeah, finally we can give our relation a star." I'm getting a kiss in the neck and I'm happy, what can still go wrong? I have already visions of marriage and kids._

"_Wait, I need this to put on photo . " She says while grabbing her camera from her handbag … _

_Kate looked ahead and took a sip._

_This must have been the highlight of our relation!_

_We were together good on track until he was posted on board again. Then nothing anymore. Stupid rules. He floored Bomber and 2Dads as well like that. What then with us? On the other hand he went to plead at the admiralty. But Maxine had put me on the wrong track. And I believed her at that time._

She looked at the next picture.

_This must have been the last one after Maxine had been breaking up our relation by threatening me to stay away from Mike. From then on everything became a giant mess. My goodness, how do I look there!_

Bird has taken the next picture. It shows the outside of the bridge. Mike and Kate stand at the handrail. She looks at the activity below and he looks at her. The exuberance is hard to find on their faces. It looks like she can burst out in tears every moment and he looks desperate at her.

… _I broke up the relation for his career. It's extreme hard to put my feelings aside, because I still love him, but it has to. But, yesterday he made a slip that he has slept with Maxine. That hurts. He has forgotten me already. I feel empty and I feel he's looking at me, don't do that ! I assume I'll continue with Jim? …_

She slammed the book and took another sip to stare at the bay.

With her thoughts she was 15 year back in the past.

_I would never forgive myself that he should have given up his passion for me. Agree, I met a point behind it. Agree, I should have said why, but I didn't , stupid me !_

_Ryan._

_That had hurt me really. It was like the ground disappeared under my feet. _

_He has slept with Maxine also, which hurt me even harder. Ok, I slept also with Jim, but Mike had put up with it quicker than I did and I wanted to make also something of my life. Jim was a good candidate. But did I really love him? Or did I fool myself? Was I looking for some distraction or something like that, just to hurt Mike? With Mike it was different. And yet? He has a son and Maxine is the mother of his son. _

_Looking for a wedding dress had made me completely upset. When I tried it on, I knew it for sure. I've made a mistake, a big mistake. I was not going to marry Jim, no way!._

_But for God's sake how did I had to restore that?_

At the bottom of the box was a little box with the ring of Jim. She opened it and had a look at it, smiled and put the ring, album and frame back in the box and closed the box.

_I'm a sensitive chick ! I didn't want to hurt anybody and that made it even worse. You didn't dare to tell Jim, but he died. And Mike? I didn't dare to come under his eyes anymore. _

_Luckily there was still Dylan. I could always be honest with him and relieve my feelings. Thanks to Steve Marshall I achieved this now and I could take Dylan with me and pick up Nikki._

She emptied her glass, stood upright and walked to the kitchen. She put it in the sink and went to the bedroom.

Kate put her dress off and looked at herself in the mirror.

"Kate, you are 50 now and you grew older", she said to herself. "you've got some sharp lines in your face and your hair is a mixed up of silver and blond."

She grimaced when she looked at the ugly deep pink scars on her right knee.

_Be happy. For the same money you could have had no leg anymore !_

Then she rocked her hips.

"But otherwise, you are still worth to be looked at", she said while giggling.

Suddenly she frowned, bent towards the mirror and looked intense to her mirror image.

"Mike?"

"No, not a third time anymore. I'm happy with Dylan and with the relation like we have it now", she said determined and she was at once happy and surprised that she didn't feel that kind of emotions anymore for him.

She opened the wardrobe to take a small night dress and smiled.

_The half of the wardrobe contains his clothes and the other half mine._

She pulled out her underwear, slit the night dress over her head and went to bed.

_To be continued_

5


	4. Ch 4 : The Meeting

**Chapter 4 : The meeting **

**Friday**

The next morning Dylan was just about to put the key into the lock of Kate's front door, when Kate opened the door in front of him.

" Morning honey, you slept well?", he asked smiling at her.

"Good morning darling and yes, thank you", she answered and giving each other a kiss.

"Hmm, You smell wonderful, you're wearing your favourite perfume I got you for your birthday last year."

"Yep."

"Is it because you're expecting a certain Captain today? Because when we go out, I have to do it with a lot less", he was joking as they walk down to his car**.**

"You silly, you have to know better", she said smiling while she gave him a tap on his back.

"Take care, within a second I'll put you over my shoulder and you know that I dare to do that."

"We are not in a swamp you know", Kate laughed as she opened the door and got into the car while she remembered when she got stuck and Dutchy helped her getting out of the sticking mud. Dutchy grinned while remembering what happened that day as he got into the car while looking at Kate. Ten minutes later they arrived at Nikki's who was already waiting.

"'Morning everybody. Hey, it smells nice in here**", **Nikki said as she got into the car and closing the door.

"Shut up", Kate said plain. "And sweep that smile from your face", she said to Dylan who produced a huge grin on his face.

"And you there at the back seat, that counts for you too!", she said to Nikki while Kate turned towards her

"Tell me, when are you both going to move in together? One of the houses is empty most of the time. So why not sell one of them, you can gain a lot of money. And you both got shore postings", Nikki said

"Dylan's condo is up for sale. You know my place is a villa, his place is a condo", Kate answered. Then she said "Dylan any one interested yet?" as she looked at him.

"Yes there is. The day after tomorrow I'll expect a buyer. He has already looked at it and I have a good feeling he will bite", Dylan said as he drove to the base.

**The base**

0920 Hours

Mike arrived at the adjutant of the Commodore and was pleasantly surprised.

"Hey Dutchy. I didn't expect you as adjutant. Everything's fine?"

"Good day Captain. Indeed, it's a long time ago huh. I'm fine and hopefully you are too? "

"Yeah, everything's okay. Tell me, how is she? I heard rumours that she became the Ice Queen."

"Well", Dutchy replied with a smile on his face while getting from behind his desk "I'll let you discover that by yourselve. I'll announce you."

0927 Hours

Kate stood at the window of her office and looked at the harbour. A yellow autumn sun made it all a bit unreal. She tried to work on a file, but it didn't progress because she was too much sidetracked by the meeting she was going to have within a minute. Kate had her hands at her back and and clenched her fingers.

_Last night you were sure about your feelings. No more Mike. But now you're nervous. Unsure is a better word. Why? Your heart is definitely with Dylan. What's making you so upset? The facts of 15 years ago and earlier? You loved him. Is it really over? Hmm, no, but it's different. It's what you feel for a very good friend. Or are you not sure how you are going to react towards him? You ran away from him without telling the reason, but he has made you angry by denying you. Are you maybe afraid that you're going to loose your temper and that you are going to throw the frustrations and the lost opportunities in his face? Lost opportunities? Sure, due to his behaviour you missed the chance to have a family with kids. But aren't you happy now with Dylan? Yes, of course, but… _

Kate sighed.

_A kid. I'll have to learn to live with it. Dylan had said that already a million times, but it's so hard. Luckily there're still Nikki's kids._

She was called back to reality the moment she heard a knock on her office door. Come in," she snapped while turning around when she heard the door open and saw it was Dylan.

"Ma'am, Captain Flynn for you", Dylan said, looking suspiciously at his Kate.

_Hmm, that's promising. She's battling with her emotions again. Hopefully she doesn't kill Mike within the first five minutes._

"Yes, thank you", she replied with a sigh.

He gave her a wink and got a faint smile in response.

_Ok, it's not that bad as it looked at first sight._

Kate turned again to the window to look outside. She wanted to gain some time.

Mike entered the office, but could only see her silhouette against the day light.

_She has still her hands at the back when she looks at something far away_. Flashed through his mind.

She turned to look at him.

For the first time in his career he felt uncomfortable, but he didn't know that she felt just like him uncomfortable as well.

_I just feel like a job-applicant who's applying for the very first time. There she is. She has still got the same line._

"Good morning, ma'am", he said a bit unsure.

"Good morning Captain."

_Oops, these 15 years have not passed unseen. As grey as a pigeon and a bit thicker. And he has sharp lines in his face._

She went to him to shake hands, but she was limping more heavily than normal since she was standing in the same spot for twenty minutes before Dylan knocked on the door. She could read from his face that he saw it and she noticed some kind of regret.

"Souvenir, from Iran", Kate said on a dull tone.

Now that she was out of the backlight he had a better look at her.

_Wow, she's still the same. Just only a few harder and sharper lines in her face and there's some silver in her hair. Charming! But these green eyes are still the same._

They shook hands.

"How are you?" she asked him.

"Fine, thank you and how are you ma'am?"

"I'm fine. And, it's still Kate, you know", she said trying to break the ice.

"Uh, yeah ok. Kate." It looked like he wanted to gauge the atmosphere.

"Please take a seat" as she gestured to one of three club chairs in her office.

They took place.

"Quite some time ago huh?", he said.

"Indeed", Kate replied nodding.

They looked at each other without saying anything. Both were in the past with their thoughts;

_When was it, that I saw him for the last time, It was when I stepped aboard for the last time. I didn't dare to look into his eyes and he wished me good luck, but he looked like he had been though a wringer._

_Here she's again. Never thought I would see her again. And still as pretty as before. Where do I have to start with? And did she ask for that transfer?_

Finally it was Kate who started.

"Mike you are going to command one of our latest flotillas we have. A helicopter frigate, two frigates with guided missiles and a supply ship. Your action territory will be the Gulf again, because it still rumbles over there. You are going to escort convoys of tankers. These are the perfect targets for pirates, but I don't have to tell you that, huh? I prepared your orders which you'll receive within a minute and at 1015 hours I arranged a meeting with Commander Chris Packer, the commander of your flag ship, the HMAS Ballarat."

_Hmm, indeed, point-blank, business, cool. Not difficult to understand why she's the Ice Queen._

They talked a bit further about the mission until they stand up so that he could meet the commander of the frigate.

"Mike, I would like to take you out for dinner tonight. Dinner in restaurant Cerberus tonight? 1930 Hr? That is if you got nothing else planned tonight. We need to talk", she said all of a sudden. Kate saw a glimpse a pleasant surprise on his face.

"The Cerberus, wow ah, sure, I got nothing planned for tonight. The Cerberus is a fabulous one", he said with a risen eyebrow.

"The others are not good. I can do it better myself then!"

"Uh?"

"I'll explain you later. I'll pick you up."

"Ok, Kate, till 1930 hours, here is my address", Mike said as he stood up and walked up to Kate's desk and picked up a pen and note pad where he wrote down his address and cell phone number. Then he ripped off the top page before putting pen and note pad back on the desk and turned around to see Kate standing up. He stepped forth and passed her the piece of paper.

"Thank you Mike."

_There's still an opening. But yet, man, what has she changed. How? I don't know. Yes, cold. That's not the Kate anymore who I used to known. It looks like something has left in her._

Mike left the office and a few minutes later there was a knock on the door and Nikki and Dylan poked their head inside.

"And, how did it go?", Nikki asked with a huge grin.

"Tell me, you both have been waiting behind the corner, for sure?", Kate said lifting one eyebrow.

"No, not really. We were waiting for the coffee break." Dylan said dryly.

"Oh, yes, that it will be,", Kate answered with a smile.

"Well, I think I definitely deserve some brown liquid", she added determined.

Somewhat later they stood all thereof them around a small round high table in the break room, busy with their cups of coffee.

"Uneasy huh", Kate said while she was sipping from her coffee. "What do you want? All of a sudden you're in front of your CO who was 15 years ago your subordinate. In my place I wouldn't have felt comfortable either."

"And he became grey", she added with a smile.

"Have you said anything more?", Dylan asked.

"No, only about the mission", Kate answered reticently.

"Kate! You don't do that", Nikki answered disapproving while she rolled her eyes.

"You haven't seen each other in 15 years and you could only just talk about the mission. Don't you have any feelings anymore?"

Kate stared gloomily in her cup of coffee in which she was roaring.

"Honey, you are busy pulling up walls again. That's not good", Dylan added.

"You loved him and he loved you, so he wasn't that bad after all, was he?", Nikki insisted.

"Nikki, we are at the base, within a minute you are yelling at me", Kate hissed embarrassed between her teeth to Nikki.

"Don't forget that it was _me_ who stuffed it up years ago", Kate said with a lump in her throat.

"Honey, let the past behind you. You will destroy yourself if you continue like this. We don't have it that bad now. ", he said softly when he put his hand on top of hers.

"Yes dad, yes mum. Before you continue on preaching. I invited him for dinner tonight", she said while she looked frowned from one to the other.

"Yeah, that's a good starter." Dylan said. "I think he has more questions than you."

"Indeed, it may become very personal. But tomorrow we will have a dinner all together with us. Then we can bring back the memories of Hammersley." She looked at Nikki who got a big smile on her face. "Can you come too?"

"That sounds already much better. I have to come alone. Pete is on patrol on the HMAS Darwin for the next month. Josh and Vicky are going to stay with my parents for a week since it's the school holidays", Nikki said.

"All right, then I have only to invite Mike."

_To be continued_

6


	5. Ch 5 : The restaurant

**Chapter 5 : The restaurant**

1900 Hr

Mike was waiting at the entrance of his apartment when Kate arrived in her Audi. He opened the passenger's door and got in. "Right on time", Mike said as he closed the door and put his seat belt on. "Of course", Kate said as she drove to the restaurant. Mike turned to look at Kate, he noticed that Her hair hung loose over the red blouse she was wearing.

When they stopped at the traffic lights, he could see that under the blouse, she wore a cream coloured pants and red high heeled pumps on her bare feet. Ten minutes later Kate pulled up in car park just outside the restaurant. When they got out Kate locked the doors and turned the car alarm on as she and Mike walked towards the back of her car. Mike notice that she was limping a bit as they walk towards the entrance of the restaurant.

"Is it ok for your leg, with these heels?" He asked her.

"Look, that stupid incident is not going to stop me wearing heels. If it bothers other people, then they have to look the other side!", she said firmly.

He looked at her lifting an eyebrow.

_Wow! _

_Incident!?,?_

"What happened?"

"Later", she snapped.

_Oops, that's touchy._

He opened the door so Kate could walk in first, then he followed her in. After they were led to their table, they sat down

"You look wonderful." He said looking at the menu after the waiter walked away with the wine order.

"Thank you!", she replied with a broad smile.

"That's a long time ago, isn't it." Mike pushed off hesitated.

"Yeah, indeed, you could say that." Kate answered with a smile.

"Nice place here", he said nodding looking slightly around.

"Yep, if you like spending money, it has to be good otherwise you can do it better yourself."

"You dropped that already this morning. I didn't know that you…"

"… I cook? Yes, after I was transferred, I start focussing on cooking as pass time. Nowadays, nobody skips an opportunity to stay for dinner with me. By the way, I want to invite you to come to us. Nikki will be there as well."

"Nikki? Ah great. That's also a long time ago."

"She's leading the cartographic service of the basis. Thus, your maps will come from her," she said with a smile.

"And who is 'us'?"

"Dylan and me."

"Oh yes, I see. Ok, I'll be there."

_Now he is puzzling._

The waiter returned with a bottle of wine that he opened at their table, he poured the wine in both glasses and put the bottle in bucket of ice. They both ordered Carpaccio of tuna and then a lamb crown. After finished their order, the waiter walked away with the collected menus sheets. They both pick up their wine glasses when Mike made a toast.

"Cheers." Mike said. "On the career. You've made it. That was your first choice, wasn't it?"

Kate frowned and glared at him with narrow eyes.

_Aargh, that hurts, damn._

"_You_ were married with the sea, not me. When I left ADFA and during the first year on the frigate, it was, yes, but then I realised that I was chasing the wrong goal. My main goal was marriage, having a family with kids, a home, remember? I tried to talk about it with you, but each time you turned a blind eye. And at the end, it's you who can say that you have a son!", she said sharply.

Mike swallowed.

_Ouch, a direct hit. Not a good start of me. As I feared, she never digested that. I'll watch out with what I say because she's still my superior officer._

"Uhm, sorry. False start. Again. Cheers, at the future."

"Yeah, that's better", she said now with a faint smile.

A silence felt between them after they took a sip. To avoid the silence they took the snacks that were offered with the aperitif.

_Bad start Kate. Don't blow it up again after so many years. On the other hand, it's his own fault to make such a dumb remark. Anyhow, I snapped at him, thus I have to show him that I forget this small incident._

"How did it go with you?", she asked while she tasted the Chenin Blanc of the starter.

"Maxine invited me several times after you left. So we grew a bit closer to each other until we moved in together. That held on for three years until…. Yeah, when?", he said shrugging, "We began to get irritated each other on little things and that took about a year. We separated as friends. Meanwhile I was promoted and had taken over Navcom and she got transferred to another department. That has not contributed to the situation as well.

"Where is she now?"

"Oh, transferred to the PR department at Canberra", he said not interested.

"And Ryan?"

"He went to sail an independent course. Neither pro me or pro her. But without a fight. We still meet each other ."

"Well, then she finally had got what she wanted !", Kate said annoyed.

"Uh? What?", he said frowning.

"_You_," Kate replied a bit too sharp than she intended.

"Me? Why?", Mike answered surprised and confused by the answer and the tone in her voice.

"She knew about your visit to the Brass. It was weird, a few days after you said that, she invited me at her office to ask if I knew you should go to the Brass. At first, I said no, but she didn't believe me. Finally I admitted I knew you should go, but not when. That was everything. Did I have to go for _that_ to Navcom? But the moment I wanted to leave her office, she started about something else. She told me about your ultimatum about my promotion and if it didn't happen you should resign. In one way or another she knew also about our relation. She said that your life was the sea and that I always would come on second place. Moreover I was not allowed to destroy your career. It was as good as an order that I had to stay away from you. At the end it was a good excuse to hold me away from you", Kate said and she leaned back at her chair to see what effect this had on Mike.

Mike wanted to drink, but his glass lingered halfway his mouth and the table.

"_What_? _Did she really say that_?", he exclaimed almost spelling wine on the table cloth.

"Yeah, shout it loud, you're right", Kate said disapproving.

"Hmm, sorry for that."

"Yes, I was so stupid to believe that. I loved you, and the idea that you should put your career aside for me, was unsupportable for me. I would have forced you to something you didn't like. It could not be me to ruin your career. Thus, I had not much of a choice, did I?", Kate confirmed laconically.

"You could have said something", he said painfully.

"For sure you would have got me around and afterwards I would had feelings of guilt."

Mike swallowed his glass in one gulp and stared at blank to a point in the restaurant while Kate was looking at him.

An instance later he looked at her again. "She exceeded her power. You may not leak information to subordinates", he said softly.

"Indeed, I know, but it happened huh. Thus, yes, I pulled the pin out by myself. It wasn't easy, I loved you, but I had to put you out of my mind", she said disappointed.

Meanwhile the first dish was served. They started to eat in silence.

"I didn't know that from Maxine." He said softly after a while. "I haven't known that until Dutchy told me about the career, but I still didn't know where it came from. I thought it was for Jim."

Kate looked at him.

"Let's say that Jim was a comfort."

Kate took a breath.

"You and I had a relation, but that was it. You didn't make much effort either to let me feel that. I asked myself often if I haven't dreamt all about it. I was just one of the crew. And there was that time in that small port when we talked about our future, or better said, I did. I told you about my expectations and I asked you what you wanted. You just answered me 'coffee'. If you had slapped me in my face, it wouldn't have been that worse as your answer was. Did I really have meant something for you?", Kate said fiercely looking straight at him with a glance of the Commodore who gives a subordinate a criticism.

Mike looked at her, felt her glance and looked uneasy again to his plate.

_Kate, don't say that like this. That hurts. Damn, if I had known what the consequences were at that time! The fact is that I was always a bit ashamed to express that kind of feelings. I didn't know what to do with them._

"Kate, you meant a lot to me, but, I, uh, I'm not so good to put these things into words", he stammered.

"But, good enough to share your bed with Maxine !" Kate snapped at him.

_Ouch, another direct hit. I must have really hurt her at that time._

"You broke up it, and then that surprise with Ryan. I had a dip and Maxine invited me for a dinner. And then a bit of wine…" Mike said with a sour smile looking at Kate.

"As easy as that? With some wine?", she said sarcastically.

"Yeah, that had hurt me the most of all. You see, you had forgotten me already so quickly. Then I thought : 'he with Maxine, I with Jim'." She answered fierce and hurtfully.

Mike didn't say anything anymore. He dared not to look at her and stared at the table cloth.

_Damn, she twists the knife once more. What have I done? I destroyed our future together and now she hits back and I can only admit._

Somewhat later, Kate continued, but now at a much softer tone.

"Then, he was there with his ring…

He surprised me.

I was at the point to agree with it after everything what happened because I was still angry at you. Until I saw myself in that wedding dress…

Then I knew I wasn't going to marry Jim."

Both said nothing anymore.

Mike looked at her concerned.

_What's wrong with trying out a wedding dress?_

Kate stared at blank at her glass.

"Then everything started to go wrong." She continued sadly.

"I wanted to tell Jim, but I couldn't. I didn't want to hurt him to say I was not going to marry him because my heart was still with you. I realised that I used him as a comfort. That made me feeling guilty. I couldn't be that cruel to disappoint him, but I had to tell him and I didn't know yet how !

Then there was the explosion. I even felt more guilty because I never told him. I gave him a false hope by not being honest to him. Moreover I didn't dare to come under your eyes because I left you without any explanation. That was not fair either.

Not only that, but I've started the relation with Jim under your nose.

Besides I didn't want to ruin your career.

So you see, I was blocked and I couldn't go in any direction. That's why I asked for a transfer."

She looked at Mike again.

He saw there were tears in her eyes now.

_Hmm, that's the missing part. I've always been wondering why you've asked all of a sudden for that transfer. You must been even more confused and upset than I was at that time. If you should have talked to me, then we could have worked out something. If… If… If … _

_And now it's too late._

Kate took a deep breath.

"I hope you can understand me? I stuffed everything up then. You can't imagine how much it hurts to know that I didn't dare to tell you the truth. I'm dragging these thoughts with me since the last 15 years. I really thought I could leave it behind, but I'm still upset when I think of that period."

She looked away from him and was biting her lip not to cry.

_Whew, it's done. I finally have said it ! Kate pull yourself together and don't start to whine._

Mike nodded.

_Poor girl and it's all my fault. I never wanted to do that to you, really!_

I understand. You didn't receive signals and when you've got them it were the wrong ones. And you made your conclusions. At the end we are all humans ," he said, softly tapping on her hand.

"Thank you", she said faintly and she grabbed a handkerchief in her handbag to wipe a few tears that have escaped.

The main dish was served and both ate in silence, busy with processing everything.

At the dessert Mike asked gently "What happened after your transfer?"

"I explained my request to Captain Steve Marshall. I explained him everything. That was the only one I could trust. Then I was appointed at a frigate and quickly afterwards promoted to Lieutenant-Commander and became the XO on board. I wanted to forget everything and devoted myself for 200% to my job and in my leisure I was busy with cooking and fashion as distraction. After a year there was a vacancy as CO on another frigate and I applied for it. Steve has backed me and I was promoted to Commander and became CO. Afterwards there was the Iran conflict and my frigate was by coincidence the flagship of the flotilla. As you know we've got solid blows hitting my ship and the flotilla commander died. During that period I commanded the flotilla for a couple of weeks and due to that I was promoted to Captain. And then there was that fatal day…"

She swallowed.

"What then?"

"Nothing. Later", Kate said with a hoarse voice.

She paused. Mike could see how the event on that fatal day, like she called it, has made her upset.

Kate swallowed a lump and blinked a couple of tears away and continued with a husky voice.

"I was then the adjutant of Steve who was here Commodore until his retirement. The last thing he did was making me his successor. That was it."

Mike nodded and took a deep breath.

"Well, then I can only try to do as good as you did with my flotilla."

"I'll never doubt that for a second", she answered with a smile.

"After Maxine, did you have had another relation?", she asked him to bring the conversation on another subject, far away from that fatal day.

He shrugged. "I went on few dates but there was only one ... and that was you Kate", he said with a smile while he laid his hand on hers.

_Sorry Mike, you are not going to make a mess of me ! Not again._

"No Mike, don't do that. You have to understand it's not the same anymore. Too many things happened in the mean time", Kate answered embarrassed.

"Oh, sorry." And he pulled his hand back.

_Ouch, that's more than clear. This chapter is locked for good._

"And Dutchy, Dylan?" , he said trying to find another subject.

"Yeah, Dylan", she got a dreamy glance over her.

"You remembered that we were friends at that time?"

He nodded.

"He was wounded by that shot and was at home to recover. There he decided to make a step further in his career and followed an officers training. But, we kept in touch with each other by email. I wanted to have a friend around me to whom I could talk freely. From the moment I had the capability to transfer him to my staff, I've made him my XO. From then on we've been growing to each other more and more until we started loving each other. Each of us in his own house, because, yes, you know the rules huh. At the end there was always one empty house", she said laughing with a blush.

"But the rules doesn't count for us anymore and soon we will move in together for real."

"That's good. Really good for you both", Mike said while tapping on her hand.

_Weird, normally I should feel a kind of envy, but it's not. I feel rather a relief that she finally found happiness too._

They didn't realize that it was getting late and the restaurant was just about to close for the night. The waiter walked over with the bill. Mike wanted to pay for dinner but Kate wanted to hand over her credit card. Mike was quicker and the waiter took his card to put it into the portable payholder for the transaction. Afterwards, Mike signed the receipt. Once done the waiter handed Mike his credit card back before walking away..

"But Mike I invited you", she tried to argue as they both stood up from the table

"No, you invited me again for tomorrow. This one is really for me. It was a pleasure to talk to you again," he said as they walked towards the exit. .

On the way back they talked about little things. She dropped him at his apartment and drove home.

When she entered the house Dylan sat on the couch reading a book with music at the background and with a glass of Whisky on the coffee table.

"Darling, I'm back", she said from the hall.

"Hey, sweetie, how did it go?", he answered looking over his shoulder.

She walked to the couch while slipping out of her shoes and curled up next to him.

"Give me that glass", she said while she reached to the coffee table.

"Uh? You never drink that. Was it that bad?"

"No, on the contrary. I want something stronger to drink. We've had a good chat and I finally said what I couldn't do for all these years", she said and took a sip.

"Well done", he said. He put his arm around her and hugged her.

Kate grumbled and reached to her knee to rub it.

"Your knee again?"

"It's throbbing", she said with a painful face.

He looked over his shoulder to her heeled pumps which she left in the middle of the living room.

"No wonder th…", he started.

But she cut him off. "Shut up please", she said softly. "I'm a woman and I wanted to have my pride, though? I could hardly show up with flats, could I?", Kate said looking at him hoping that he would understand it.

He gave her a smile because he really didn't know what to say.

"Don't worry about me darling. I've to get used to it and it will pass, as usual", she said as she reached to his glass again.

They remained sitting on the couch enjoying each other, the music and the drink.

_To be continued_

8


	6. Ch 6 : The reunion

**Chapter 6 : The reunion **

**Saturday**

**1030 Hr**

That morning Mike decided to go to Kate's place to talk to her alone as he couldn't wait until the evening since Dylan and Nikki were going to be there too. So he drove to Kate's place as she gave him her address the night before. When he arrived, he parked up in front of her villa. He got out of his car and locked it as he walked up the path to her front door and rang the door bell. He heard foot steps on the other side, then he heard the door unlock and open to see Dylan standing there with a bucket in his hand.

"Ah, hi Captain...Sir", Dylan said surprised when he saw who it was.

" 'Morning Dylan, just say Mike. Sorry to disturb, but is Kate in?"

"No problem, just a sec. _Darling, Mike for you_!." He yelled inside.

Kate walked to the front door to see Mike there.

"Mike?"

"Kate, hi, sorry if I was interrupting something", he started uneasy.

"No problem, come on in", she said stepping aside.

Mike walked into the house just as Kate passed Dylan the mop and she removed the gloves and put them in the bucket before she turned around and walked down the hall way. Mike followed Kate into the kitchen while Dylan closed the door. "Would you like a brew Mike?", she asked him over her shoulder.

"Yes thanks" Mike said.

Dylan laughed as he walked pass Mike.

"Kate always says 'brew' at home, not coffee, I'll go and leave you two to talk", Dylan said after Kate passed him a cup of coffee before he walked out of the kitchen leaving Mike and Kate alone.

While Kate was pouring the coffee into two mugs, Mike overlooked Kate, she had her hair tied in a loose pony tail. She wore an old singlet, a cargo-pants and was on clogs.

She saw Mike's somewhat surprised glance.

"I see you're a bit surprised? It's not because you're a Commodore that you don't have to maintain your house huh", she said laughing as she passed him his cup of coffee.

While drinking their coffee, Mike started to talk. "Kate, I want to get rid of this. Tonight it would be out of the context I think and therefore I want to do it now." He took a breath. " I've been thinking quite some time about what you told me yesterday and I had no idea what caused me not giving your more attention. I've made a mess of it. Sorry for everything."

Kate looked at him without saying anything. That was also a habit of her. A way of letting him feel that he was wrong at a certain level and that he had ignored her ideas about it.

He grimaced and continued. "I know it's cheap, just by saying 'sorry'. Moreover I'm extreme happy that I finally know what really happened. On the other hand, if it had gone different, if you told me back then instead of brake up with me, things could ... be different between us now ", he said with a smile. Kate walked around the kitchen island and stood in front of him.

"Mike, that's now the past. We've had the opportunity to tell each other the truth. Dwelling has no use anymore and we can only look forward", Kate answered and she stood on her toes to give him a kiss.

"Thank you, I'll leave you to get back to your cleaning duty, I'll see you tonight then", Mike said as he put mug on the bench and walked to the front door with Kate behind him. He opened it and turned to her since she followed him. "See you tonight Kate and thanks for the talk".

"See you tonight Mike", she gave him a kiss again and a smile that he hasn't seen in years. He smiled back at her before he turned around and walked out of the house hearing Kate closing the door seconds later.

**1930 Hr.**

When Mike arrived, he rang the door bell and waited. He smiled when the door opened and he saw it was Kate. She had her hair up and wore a bright blue summer dress with nude shoulders that reached just above her knees and mules.

"Hi Mike." And she gave him a kiss on his cheek when he walked inside and she closed the door after him.

"I have here a bottle of white and red wine for you. I didn't know what we were having for dinner."

"Thank you, go ahead, you know the way already."

They walked down and into the dinning/lounge area. Nikki was already waiting for him in the living room with a giant smile on her face. She had her hair loose and wore a dress with flowers and sandals on heels.

"Hi boss or may I say Mike?"

"Nikki, that has been a long time!"

"Kissing is allowed, yes?", Mike laughed as Kate took the bottles of wine out of his hands before he stepped up to Nikki, hugged her and kissed her on the cheeks.

"What have you became grey !" , she blurted out.

"Yeah, indeed, but you haven't changed a bit."

"Come on. I became rounder." While she was tapping at her hips.

"What made you come back to Kate?"

"I was XO on the HMAS Melbourne in her flotilla. From the moment we saw a change we met each other. I wanted a shore posting and she offered me the job at the cartographic service with the help of Steve."

"Hammersley ! Aperitif !", Dylan announced while he got the cork out of a bottle of white wine. He filled the glasses while standing all four of them together

"Here we are, the staff of the Hammersley is back together. The Boss, the X, Nav and Dutchy. Cheers !" He said while they lifted the glasses.

Kate went to the kitchen and returned with a plate with appetizers. Mike saw then for the first time the ugly scars on her knee and made a grimace.

Kate noticed it and said "I can only wear this kind of dresses at home or at friends."

"How did it happen?", Mike asked as they all sat down.

Kate took a sip of her wine.

"It was late in the afternoon and the sun stood low. We escorted a convoy thru the Street of Hormuz when the Iranians came from out of the sun. They must have flown extreme low above the water because our radars didn't noticed them. The bridge of my frigate got a direct hit of a missile. I …"

Her voice faltered.

Dylan continued. "I was downstairs at the command room when we heard the explosion. It was like we hurt an ice berg at full speed. I dropped everything and rushed to the bridge or better said I worked myself up to where the bridge had been. It was a mess. Nobody had survived. Via the emergency installation I managed to guide the other ships to the high seas, away from that street so that we had space to manoeuvre. That movement was a success so that the assault extinguished.

"Therefore he received his Distinguished Service Cross", Nikki added with proud.

"Afterwards I found Kate outside the bridge. Luckily she was outside and on the other part of the bridge, opposite from where the missile entered. Her leg lay in an unnatural angle and her knee was just mash.

"Don't say it like that !" , Kate tried to say with a raw voice.

Dylan put his arm around her and continued.

"We've brought her as good as possible to the ward room and a few hours later I had a tough discussion with our doctor on board.

"He wanted to amputate my leg," she said sobbing.

Dylan started to caress her back.

"I threatened to bring him before court marshal if he would do that. Finally he kept her leg, but it was on my responsibility. A few months and several operations later, one of them being full knee replacement since her knee cap was broken into five pieces plus there was ligament and tendons damage also. Kate could walk again and she was the adjutant of Commodore Steve Marshall."

"Walk again? But how? Look how long it took for me to recover ! And I'm still limping," she said between two sobs.

"Honey, you don't have to walk with a cane anymore", Dylan tried to comfort her.

"_The cane_ ! From the moment I could walk without it I threw that thing miles away! If someone is going to oblige me to use it, then I'll put there where the sun never shines and make them clean every toilet with a tooth brush at NAVCOM headquarters for the rest of their Navy career!", she said fierce.

"And to make it worse, they wanted to discharge me for medical reasons. I wasn't able to execute my job as they said! I had never been more angry in my entire life at that moment. I think they must have heard it on the street!"

Then Kate looked sad at the table and clenched her hands. "But sometimes when it's cold and wet I still have to use it because my knee is trying to kill me then", she said with a soft voice.

Mike didn't say anything anymore, not knowing what to say and stared at his hands. Nikki tapped on his knee to comfort him a bit.

_Damn, I had to close my mouth._

"Look, we have a picture of the Hammersley." Dylan said to lighten the mood again as he stood up and walked over to where the frame pictures were and returned with them

It was a big photo of the Hammersley with the entire crew. The officers stood on the borders of the bridge and the crew along the gangway.

"This one is taken just before I came on board. " And he pointed to Nikki who stood next to Mike and Kate on the bridge.

Then they pointed to the people they recognised like Bomber, 2Dads, Swain and the others.

"You know," Kate said. "I loved that period the most. You were really between the crew. Later on, when you're on top, you don't have any contact anymore with them.

Go ahead, I'll see I'll get some food on the table."

Nikki quickly took her camera and took a couple of pictures before Kate stood up. Mike watched her walk into the kitchen so he stood up and went to apologize.

.

He stopped at the isle in the kitchen.

"Kate, I'm sorry for the question about your leg. I didn't know how serious it was."

"Don't worry, you can't help it. These are just one of the things I'm getting emotional of. And now, sailor, get out my galley !", she said with a smile.

"Yes Ma'am", he said giving her a salute and a smile before walking out of the kitchen.

Thirty minutes later they were all sitting at the dining room table talking about the past crew and what they were doing now.

"Did you heard something from RO?", Kate asked.

Mike laughed. "He's the terror of the basis in Cairns. He's a Petty Officer for years now and responsible for everything that has to do with radio equipment. If something goes wrong, he's on top of it."

"2Dads?", Dylan asked.

"A hopeless case. Especially when he's on shore. Two times promoted to petty officer and two times degraded again to leading seaman. When he's not drunk, he's a qualified sailor."

"Charge and Bird?"

"Charge left the Navy and is now a mine engineer. Bird has completed her medical training and is now Leading Seaman and medic on one of the patrol boats."

"Have you heard something from Bomber?", Nikki asked.

"She couldn't get used to the civil life and signed up again. With her advanced medical knowledge she has made it to Petty Officer on board of one of the mine hunters."

"Ryan?", Dylan asked.

"He signed up again. I've helped to put him back on tracks and he was promoted two months ago to Lieutenant and navigator on one of the patrol boats in Cairns."

"Did he had an affair with Bird, or not?", Kate continued.

"Yes, for a while, but that ended."

"Nikki, are you married?", Mike asked.

She got a smile. "Yeah, finally. With Pete."

Mike frowned. "Pete? Do you mean our former Buffer, Pete Tomaszewski?"

She nodded with a huge smile. "Yeah, Pete."

"No!", he replied astonished.

"Yeah it is. I was transferred to Sydney after I left Hammersley and our paths crossed three months later. He was also transferred to Sydney. It was good to see old friends back. We started meeting each other more often when we were on shore and finally we married a year later. Meanwhile Kate fixed a shore posting for me. He's now Warrant Officer on board of the HMAS Darwin," she told him

"Do you have children Nikki?" Mike asked.

"Yeah, two, a son, Josh, he's 13 and a daughter, Victoria, Vicky", she chuckled, "she's 11 and she's Pete's eye apple."

"Good, very good. Josh you said huh? Hmm, I understand", he said nodding.

"Yeah, I wanted to have a memory to ET. I've given it a place but he's still in a part of my heart. It still hurts that I never had the chance to say goodbye before he got murdered", Nikki replied with a shrug.

"Yeah I can follow you. I'm glad to hear that you finally found your happiness too and that you have a son and a daughter." Mike said .

"Exactly. But they", and she pointed smiling to Kate and Dylan, " are spoiling them too much."

"I …. we … are considering them also a bit as our kids too", Kate said softly and her eyes became glassy while she looked at her hands.

Mike looked at Kate._ Kate, don't say that. That hurts and you're hurting yourself too._

"Hey, a group picture." Nikki said to bring the conversation to another subject. "In front of Hammersley, we in the middle and the men aside." They stood up and walked over to where the frame picture was hanging on the wall whileshe put the camera on a cupboard, activated the self-timer and went next to Kate and Mike with Dylan on the other side of Nikki.

With the evening slowly coming to an end, they all decided to go home and started to say goodbyes to each other.

"Kate, splendid food. I think I'll take you with me on my frigate", Mike said while giving her three kisses."

"No way mate. I'm not going to eat pizza's from the fridge for four months", Dylan answered with a smirk.

They all laughed as Mike and Nikki walked out of the house and to their cars, closing the front door behind them.

_To be continued_

7


	7. Ch 7 : The Departure

**Chapter 7 : The departure **

**Monday**

1000 Hr

At the quay there was the usual hustle and bustle when a ship was at the point to leave.

Five officers stood together.

Conform their grades, they greeted each other, but afterwards there followed a much more informal greeting.

"Mike, good luck and fair winds mate", Dylan said as they shook hands and he gave him a tap on the shoulder.

Nikki didn't say much and produced a husky "Fair winds" as well when she shook his hand as well.

Mike turned to Kate and both looked at each other intensive.

"Mike, you have to promise me three things", Kate started. "One, no cowboy actions. Remember I know what you are like. Two, keep the crew safe and three, you have to come back unharmed. Fair winds."

"Kate, when I saw you back for the first time last Friday …", Mike said.

Kate knew what Mike was going to say, she knew her own emotions and felt perfectly what was going to come...

"No Mike, don't make it worse", she said with a voice full of emotions, looking at him.

"… I thought you became really an ice queen", Mike said as he slowly started to smile.

"Mike, no", Kate said as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"But now, I know for sure that..."

"_Mike !_", Kate yelled as she tried to interrupt what he was going to say.

"…you are still the same sweet and sensitive woman."

Kate could not avoid stopping more tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Oh, great ! Look at me now in front of everyone ! But it's cute from you", she said wiping them away as she started to smile.

"Thanks, I'll keep in touch with you by email", Mike said as they both hugged, then he saluted and turned around and walked on board the ship.

Dylan was the first who broke the tension a couple minutes later. "Come on girls, time for a coffee break."

They all turned back to go to the office.

On the bridge Mike was looking at the three officers who were walking back while Commander Chris Packer was getting ready to take the frigate out of the port.

Mike watched Kate as she limped slightly away while talking to Nikki and Dylan.

_It's a pity that she must have that handicap too. She didn't deserve that._

_I knew I was wrong then, but I had no idea that I had made such a mess of our relationship and that I turned her life upside down. I had to let her feel that I was there for her. I had to take that shore posting much earlier !_

_But somehow they let me feel that I am one of them._

_No, I may not let them down again._

He returned to the command room to work on his task.

**Three months later.**

**HMAS Ballarat.**

Mike sat at his desk in his cabin and looked at the group photo of the four of them in front of Hammersley. Nikki had mailed it to him three days after he left for his four months tour. When he received the photo attachment he printed it on the colour printer of the frigate and stuck it above his desk. He caught himself he counted the days at the calendar before he would be back with his friends.

**Sydney**

"Here girls, coffee", Dylan had put the tray with three cups on the table.

"When is Mike due to be back?", Nikki asked sipping from her coffee.

"Within a month", Kate answered before she put the cookie in her mouth.

"Maybe, the four of us can get together again?", Nikki suggested with a smile.

"Sounds like a good idea, I'll ask Mike when he returns. Hopefully Pete can make it this time", Kate answered smiling.

"Yeah so long as he doesn't have to crash sail. Kids and I miss him so much", Nikki said with a sad look on her face.

"I know you do Nikki, but we both know what Navy timing is like, even when we were on Hammersley, we didn't get much shore leave", Kate said

"True."

_To be continued_

2


	8. Ch 8 : North-Korea

**Chapter 8 : North-Korea **

**Kate's and Dylan's villa**

Dylan's apartment was now sold four months ago and he moved into Kate's place two days later.

On an evening they sat together on the couch reading a book while listening to soft music playing low in the background.

"Sweetie?" Dylan had put his book on his lap.

"Hmm." Kate looked up from hers.

"I noticed some change in you the last time."

"And what would that be?"

"You look more cheerful, happier."

"Yes?", she asked lifting her eyebrows.

"There are also rumours going around on the base about it."

"What rumours?"

"They say that the Ice Queen is slowly _defrosting_", he said, grinning

Kate started laughing and noticed how Dylan looked at her.

"Hey, what are you looking at me ?", she asked while she poked him in his waist.

"Well, you know, in all these years that I know you, I've never seen you laughing like that in a very long time, so warm, so happy. It's just like you are released from something."

Kate thought about what Dylan just said to her.

"Yeah, you're probably right."

He kept on looking at her with slightly frowned eyebrows.

"Sweetie, there's something else too, not?"

"Uh?", she replied lifting her eyebrows.

"Yeah, you're quiet too. Are you worrying about something."

She sighed. "You're right. I can't keep things secret for you, isn't it?"

"Come on, spit it out. Is it the job?"

She nodded.

"You'd better talk about it, that will do some good to you. I know you. Each time when you have a problem you pull up walls and the problem digests you. Just talk about it, but I really can't learn you that huh?"

Kate looked away and shrugged as a response, knowing that he was right again.

She looked again at him. "It's about an upcoming situation", she started hesitantly.

"Uh? Which one? I thought I knew everything that passes by us."

"In fact I can't talk about it. It's a top secret, classified case", Kate replied with a tired face.

"Yes, you can. We're a team, here at home and at the job", he encouraged her.

Kate looked upwards at him because she sat a bit lower at the couch as him. She n put marker in her book and closed it turning herself to look up at him. She seemed to think about it.

"Yeah, you're right, like so many times", she said convinced. Then she moved to put the book on the table and she reached for her glass of white wine, just like Dylan. He took a sip from his Whisky.

"It's Northern-Korea. Again. Kim Jong-un is causing problems again. It's even that worse that he threatens to have his communists infiltrated in the governments of the neighbour countries. If this is true, then we're back on the way to have a second Vietnam. The UNO has asked to send a few flotilla's to North-Korea to show Jong-un that the world doesn't accept his behaviour. The fact that we are in the Commonwealth forces makes that they have asked Australia to send two flotilla's to the southern part of Peninsula. I have to prepare one flotilla and I'm worrying about it", she told him.

"Why? It's not the first time you're composing a flotilla."

"It's a bit different now. He doesn't hesitate to use weapons if someone comes too close. Four South Korean airplanes have already been shot down and he fired two near miss missiles to an American and a French frigate. And I still remember our disaster in the Gulf."

"Have you already an idea who you're going to send?"

"Yeah, Mike, but I feel guilty to do that. It means that I'm sending him to a pretty dangerous situation", she said hurtfully.

"Dangerous situations, he lives for that Kate, you of all people knows what he was like when he was commanding Hammersley. Mighty Mike Flynn with his cowboy antics"

"That's true, but things have changed. Not just for him but for all of us", she said doubtfully.

"That's our job. You've made a good choice. He's the best man we have. If we want to have success, then he's the best choice you can make."

"Yeah! Thank you for listening", she said and tapped him on his knee. "I'm going to bed…..are you coming…? She said as she put her glass on the table looking at him with a bone-melting smile.

"Hmm, coming", he mumbled when he noticed her glance. Her green eyes seemed to be bigger than ever. He reached to his glass to empty it. Kate stood up and walked to the bedroom. He put his glass back on the table then picked up the remote to turn the stereo off as he stood up. He put the remote back on the table, grabbed both their books and put them on the book shelf again. Dylan collected the two empty glasses and walked to the kitchen to put them in the sink before heading to their bedroom, turning the lights off on the way.

He looked at his watch and lifted one eyebrow. "Sweetie it's only nine thirty?", he said surprised.

"I know darling", she said. He saw that she was standing in the doorway of the bedroom, one hand holding the door way and her legs crossed. Kate had changed her t-shirt and jeans for a long see-through blouse and she wore high heeled slingbacks that she kept for such moments as a souvenir from before the accident.

She gave him the same smile as on the couch.

He got a huge smile, "Hmm!".

The next day they picked up Nikki as usual and they drove to Navcom. Nikki went to her department and they went to theirs. Dylan took place behind his desk while Kate entered her office. She put her hat on the shelve and glared at the cane in the corner. She went to her desk and scanned the docks to see if there was a change since yesterday. Then she sat down and switched on her pc.

A bit later someone knocked her door.

"Come in", she said as she looked up and smiled when she saw Dylan walking into her office.

"Good morning ma'am. Here's your brew and the daily reports", he said dryly entering with two mugs and several files

"Good morning Lieutenant-Commander. What's on the agenda today?", she asked with a slight smile observing his face, but he tried to keep a poker face.

They used to play this game already for years, just like they were complete strangers for each other.

He put the files down on her desk and passed her one of the coffee mugs .

"Thanks" she replied accepting the mug.

He sat down as well and lifted his mug. "Cheers."

"Cheers", she replied back before taking a sip.

"What's new?", Kate said as she held the mug with her both hands.

"The daily report from Mike's flotilla. I've checked it diagonally, nothing special", he said while he pointed to the top file on her desk.

"Some transfers, invoices, stock reports", he said putting the files next to the one from Mike.

Kate opened the latter and read what it said.

"These stock reports? Anything abnormal?", she asked.

"Everything ok, except for the radio equipment, the hand sets. There's a report of Lieutenant Wilders of the radio department in which he suggested to buy the newest version because the actual ones are worn out."

"Hmm, I guess he included a quote of several suppliers?, Kate asked.

"Sure! He knows you huh."

"Right, I'll have a look at it. Wondering if he has thought about the head sets and about spare batteries. And put milk on the list", she said.

"Pardon? Milk?", Dylan replied surprised.

Kate frowned. "This morning we said that we would go to Coles tonight, not?"

"Uh, yes?", he said still surprised.

"Well, this morning I opened the last bottle, so we need some new."

"Ah!"

"Thus, put it on our list. It's in your shirt-pocket", she said motioning with her finger.

He frowned to her and fished the shopping list out, then he leaned forward to pick a pencil from the deskl as he opened the piece of paper to see several items on the list, so he added milk to it.

"Something heard yet from Korea?" he asked her as he wrote 'milk' down.

"Yeah, I just got an email from the Fleet-Admiral. We continue with the operation. Within five weeks the two flotilla's have to reach their action area. I have to meet him in Canberra within two days."

He looked up as he folded the list and put it back in his pocket.

"Hmm, work to do", Dylan nodded.

"That's the least you can say! So, first of all, send new orders to Mike that he returns immediately from the Gulf."

"Isn't he due home in three days?",

Kate lifted one eyebrow as she thought about it.

"Yeah, you're right, send a message to him ordering him that I want to see him as soon as he returns."

"Sure, but what with the pirates there?"

"The Belgian Navy takes over. They have a small flotilla there too", she replied.

"Now, we will make a first rough overview what we need there. Afterwards we can work out the several items. You have some paper?"

"Yep", and he handed over the clipboard with paper.

"Fuel. We need a tanker there. Spare parts for radar and radio equipment", Kate said, while he wrote it down.

"The new ones?"

"I doubt if we will have them at that time. That kind of order takes usually lots of time."

"Ok, then we'll include a decent stock of spare parts for the current sets", Dylan said making a notice.

"When they will be there, it will be winter. Thus winter clothes. Thick coats, gloves and so on, And put shampoo on the list."

He looked all of a sudden at Kate. "Uh?"

Kate threw him a do-you-really-not-know-what-I-mean glance. "I noticed this morning that your bottle of shampoo is almost empty. So you have to take the one from our stock and that means we have to buy a new one tonight", she said smiling at him.

He widened his eyes and took the shopping list from his shirt pocket to write it down while shaking his head.

Both lifted their head when they heard a knock at the door.

"Come in!", Kate answered fiercely.

Nikki opened the door and poked her head inside.

"Hey, don't you drink coffee anymore?", she asked smiling as she walked into the office.

"Oh? Have we already been busy that long?" Kate asked as she looked at her watch.

Nikki nodded and she looked at Dylan. "What's up? You look concerned."

"Hmm, our Kate is mixing up the operation plan and our Coles shopping list again. You'll see, this evening we'll be looking for a Harpoon missile in the non-food department instead of some toothpaste", he said with a grin.

"That's normal, not? My shopping list lays always at my desk. When I think to something I can just add it", Nikki said dryly.

"Now why didn't I think of that, oh we do need more toothpaste and hand soap, Dylan we almost run out of it", Kate said with a smirk. Dylan wrote it down while still shaking his head not noticing Nikki and Kate smiling.

"Come girls, coffee", Dylan grumbled while he stood up and turned to walk to the door with Kate and Nikki following him.

In the officer's mess they sat at a small table.

Kate was spooning milk in her coffee and she looked at Nikki with a sad look on her face. "Mike's flotilla will be back in three days."

She widened her eyes. "Oh? Troubles?"

"Yes and no. We must send a flotilla to North-Korea for a peace-keeping operation. Quite soon, but it could be a bit tricky and I need one of our best men there", Kate replied.

"Mike I guess?", Nikki said.

"Yeah."

"Hmm, he won't be happy. Since he took over the flotilla he hasn't had any serious shore leave", she said doubtful.

"I know, but he's single", Kate blurted out.

Nikki nor Dylan said something and they looked disapproving at her.

"And what was the reason for that?", Nikki snapped.

Kate looked back like she was hit by a freight train.

"Do you really think I don't know why?", Kate snapped back hurtfully.

"Sorry Kate, it was never my intention to be that rude", Nikki said.

Kate sighed and rubbed her face. "No, it's my fault. You're right. I don't have the right to be so blunt. I really have to reinvent myself before I become the same unworldly weirdo like the others of the Brass."

Dylan put his hand on her arm and said : "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on you, … as usual."

Kate didn't say anything but threw him a what-should-I-do-without-you glance.

Dylan raised his hands up in defence and put them down again when Kate said :

"I know, I know, that's why I feel guilty, but I really need him. He's the best man I can get for this tricky operation. It will be balancing on the edge. One step further and we have a world conflict", she said.

"Hmm, I think you'll have to prepare a really big dinner for him now", Nikki replied with a smirk.

Kate grimaced as a reply.

"By the way Nik, you'll get for this an official request from me, but can you already prepare maps for North and South Korea?", Kate asked.

"Ok, I'll start with it."

_To be continued_

7


End file.
